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Morphbears
Morphbears are plump, furred creatures reminiscent of a bear cub with dragonfly wings. Highly social, morphbears love adopting professions and roles in society that give them an opportunity to interact with other creatures. Physical Description: Morphbears stand just under 3 feet tall, though they typically use their wings to hover at a height that allows them to look their larger companions in the eyes. Their small bodies are covered in velvety-soft fur; this fur is most often the color of sweet cream, but coloration can change based on their chosen elemental affinity. Society: Morphbears are equally comfortable in their own vibrant, flourishing communities, or integrating into the societies of other species. Male morphbears attempt to attract mates by flying to the very highest branches of the mighty acorn trees that grow in the Sekuria, Brionithia, and other parts of the Quiet Lands, seeking the largest, ripest acorns to present to their intended. While this ritual may seem strange to other species, it is actually encouraged by female morphbears as it displays bravery and skillful flight, both highly desirable traits for morphbear young. The higher one travels in the Quiet Lands, the more fearsome and deadly the predators that one is likely to encounter; this also means that morphbear scouts who fly higher and farther are more likely to spy potential threats to the community before they pose an immediate danger. Relations: Morphbears are friendly and industrious, making them invaluable members of adventuring parties, business organizations, and communities in general. Morphbears who live in communities comprised of other species are highly sought after as couriers and town criers thanks to their flight and reliability. Alignment and Religion: Morphbears tend towards good alignments and have a natural instinct to prioritize the needs of the community over individual well-being. Morphbears, like most species of the Quiet Lands, tend towards worshipping the constellations. Terrabird is a particular favorite of morphbears, and the feeling is very much reciprocated. Terrabird chooses more morphbear zodiacs than any other constellation and is known to occasionally manifest without being called for when morphbear communities are in danger, gathering up and carrying morphbear children who have not yet learned how to fly to safety. Adventurers: Morphbear adventurers often see themselves as the caretakers of their adventuring companions. This can manifest in a variety of ways, including practicing defensive martial techniques, healing magic, or mundane practices like cooking and caring for the party’s animals. Morphbear Species Traits * +2 Constitution, +2 Charisma, -2 Strength: Morphbears are resilient and sociable, but their soft paws and light bones leave them lacking in physical might. * Small: Morphbears are Small and gain a +1 size bonus to AC and attack rolls as well as a +4 size bonus on Stealth checks, but they take a -1 penalty to their CMB and CMD. * Slow Speed: Morphbears have a base land speed of 20 feet. * Darkvision: Morphbears have darkvision out to 60 feet. * Bonus Essence: Morphbears are natural conduits for akashic energy and start play with 1 bonus essence point in their pool. * Dragonfly Wings (Ex): The morphbear’s dragonfly wings allow them to glide. A morphbear can make a DC 15 Fly check to fall safely from any height without taking falling damage, as if using feather fall. When falling safely, it may make an additional DC 15 Fly check to glide, moving 5 feet laterally for every 10 feet it falls. Morphbears can invest essence into this ability to improve its effects. ** Essence: A morphbear who invests at least one point of essence into their wings gains a fly speed of 10 feet with clumsy maneuverability. For each additional point of essence invested, the morphbear’s fly speed increases by 5 feet and their maneuverability increases by one step. * Elemental Affinity (Ex): Morphbears possess the unique ability to attune themselves to one of the four elements (air, earth, fire, or water). The morphbear may choose one of the following elemental affinities and gains the listed benefits. Once per day, a morphbear may bind a point of essence into this ability to change their chosen affinity; this choice persists until the next time the morphbear binds a point of essence to this ability and chooses a new affinity. ** Air: The morphbear gains a fly speed of 10 feet with clumsy maneuverability, or increases the speed and maneuverability granted by their dragonfly wings racial trait by 10 feet and 1 step. The morphbear gains Hover as a bonus feat. Attuning to this element changes the morphbear’s fur into a sparkling and pristine shade of white or light blue. ** Earth: The morphbear gains a 20-foot burrow speed through sand, gravel, and soil. Attuning to this element changes the morphbear’s fur to a shade of gray, brown, black, or dark green. ** Fire: The morphbear gains fire resistance and deals extra fire damage with their melee attacks equal to half their total Hit Dice (minimum 1). Attuning to this element changes the morphbear’s fur into a shade of red, orange, or pink. ** Unaffiliated: The morphbear gains 1 additional point of essence in their essence pool. If the morphbear is at least 10th level, they gain 2 additional points of essence. ** Water: The morphbear gains a 30-foot swim speed. If the morphbear is at least 5th level, they also gain the ability to breathe underwater. Attuning to this element changes the morphbears fur into a shade of blue, dark gray, or green. * Nature-Born: Morphbears are magical beasts. * Languages: Morphbears begin play speaking Common and Auran. Morphbears with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following languages: Aquan, Draconic, Elven, Gnome, Goblin, Halfling, Ignan, Sylvan, and Terran. Morphbear Favored Class Options The following favored class options are available to all characters of this species who have the listed favored class, and unless otherwise stated, the bonus applies each time you select the favored class reward. * Bard: Increase bonus to Knowledge skills from bardic knowledge by +1/4. * Cavalier: Increase the morale bonuses granted by the morphbear’s banner ability by +1/4. * Daevic: Gain +1/5 point of essence. * Druid: Add +½ to Diplomacy and wild empathy checks made to influence magical beasts. * Fighter: Gain +1/4 bonus to critical threat confirmation rolls made with a reach weapon. * Guru: Deal +1/4 point of damage with attacks made while using gentle touch. * Mesmerist: Increase the number of mesmerist tricks the mesmerist can use per day by 1/3. * Nexus: Treat the morphbear’s nexus level as +1/4 higher when determining the DCs and effects of its convergences (this does not grant new convergence tiers early). * Radiant: Increase all instantaneous healing granted by veil effects by +1. * Ranger: Increase favored terrain bonuses by +1/4 (forests or urban only). * Rogue: Increase trapfinding bonus by +1/2 in urban environments. * Sorcerer: Add one spell known from the sorcerer spell list. This spell must have the air or earth descriptor and be at least one level below the highest spell level the sorcerer can cast. * Vizier: Gain +1/5 point of essence. * Zodiac: Increase the morphbear’s effective zodiac level by +1/3 when determining the abilities and effects of the Terrabird constellation. Category:Source: Akashic Realms Volume 2: The Quiet Lands